Highway guard post



Feb. 11, 1936. 0 EGGLESTQN 2,930,623

' HIGHWAY GUARD POST Fild April 5, 1955 ZSheets-Sheet 1 v By A HomePatented Feb. 11, 1936 OFFICE w 2,030,623 HIGHWAY U R OSI- Oliver .D.l-l lggleston, Carltom Kans. ApplicationApril 1935, Serial No. 14,883

1 Claim.

My invention relates generally to means suitable for use along highwaysto warn motorists of the presence of bridges, culverts, spillways, andthe like, whether in the daytime or in the nighttime, and an importantobject of my invention is to provide guard posts to be mounted adjacentthe locations mentioned, which are clearly visible and highlysignificant.

Another important object of my invention is to provide guard posts ofthe character indicated which are flexible so as to be practicallyindestructible if struck and run over by an automobile.

Another important object of my invention is to provide guard posts ofthe character indicated which are sufliciently flexible and resilient toavoid damaging the automobile or other vehicle which strikes the same,which guard posts will immediately restore themselves to originalposition when the weight of the colliding vehicle is removed therefrom.

Another important object of my invention is to provide guard posts ofthe character indicated above which will reduce the expense of providingguard posts for the locations mentioned, by reason of their long lifeand practical indestructibility thereof.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from areading of the following description in connection with the drawings,wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown preferred embodimentsof my invention.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a culvert showing guard posts inaccordance with the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of a guard post in accordance withthe present invention especially adapted for insertion into the ground.

Figure 4 is a side or edge elevational view of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through Figure3 and showing the embedded reinforcing wires.

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken through Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the upper partof the post showing the arrangement of the reflecting lens and themanner in which the same is protected when struck in a collision withthe post.

Figure 8 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken through the lensarrangement.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 generally designatesa roadway level and the numeral 6 a culvert or spillway over which arearranged the culvert guards 1 and 8 which are of the usual construction.In front of and spaced from the approach end of the respective culvertguards is placed a single one of the devices of the invention each ofwhich is generally designated 9, the location thereof being made in thesame general manner as the location of present forms of destructible andrigid guard posts.

Each of the present guard posts 9 is composed of a fiat elongatedrelatively thin rod or plate 10 of generally rectangular cross sectionwhich is formed of rubber of such flexibility as will readily bend andflex and compress when struck and run over by a colliding vehicle. Theplate ID will be moulded so that the upper part II will be white or someother readily perceptible and attractive color, while the lower part l2of the front thereof will, in the process of moulding, be given a darkerand contrasting color.

In order that the posts may have sufllcient rigidity and at the sametime sufficient resiliency to perform the duties imposed thereon, theplate II] is provided interiorly with hairpin-shaped wires l3 and [4whose lower ends terminate as indicated at l5, I6 adjacent the lower endof the plate as shown in Figure 5, while the bight portions l1 and I8,respectively, are arranged adjacent the upper curved end IQ of the plateand at'some short distance therebelow, respectively, as clearly shown inFigure 5. The space between the bight portion I1 and the bight portionI8 is occupied by the lens structure which is generally designated 20.

Traversing the lower end of the plate It] is a vertically spaced pair ofbolt or screw receiving holes 2| which accommodate the bolts or screwsor rivets or the like 22 which fasten the flange 23 of the groundengaging spear 24 which is in the form of a rigid angle iron pointed atits lower end as indicated at 25. The remaining flange 26 of the member24 extends forwardly from the post so that the top thereof forms meansto receive the blows of a mallet or the like for driving the spear intothe ground to an adequate depth, or until the lower end of the plate I0is practically flush with or only slightly spaced above the surface ofthe ground or roadway 5 as generally indicated in Figure 2.

The lens structure includes a recess 21 of generally circular form whichis formed in the front face of the upper end of the plate In. The sidewalls 28 of this recess are radially recessed as indicated at 29 to formthe retaining shoulder 30 which retains therebehind the plano convexglass lens 3| whose back is corrugated as indicated at 32 and engagedwith a reflector plate 34 which has a retaining rim 35 directly engagedby the retaining shoulder 30 of the rubber material of the plate I0,whereby the lens is securely socketed in the upper part of the post inthe position indicated in the drawings, so that the same will not beknocked out or pulled from its position on the post when the guard postis collided with. In order to protect the lens 3| against being brokenby contact with the colliding vehicle, 'I provide a soft rubber cushionrib 35 which is arranged vertically across and engaged with the convexfront of the lens asindicated in Figures 3, '7 and 8 the upper and lowerends being fastened to the front of the post by suitable fasteningmembers 36 and 31 which enter the front of the post above and below thelens.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire tolimit the application of the invention thereto, and any change'orchanges may be made in the materials, and in the structure andarrangement of the parts, Within the spirit of the invention and thescope of the subjoined claim.

What is claimed is:- a

A guard post comprising a vertical body of flexible material, a pair ofinverted U-shaped' reinforcing members embedded in the body, one

of said U-shaped members being wider and longer than the other andencompassing the smaller both of said U-shaped members being disposed onsubstantially the same vertical plane, the upper portion of the bodybeing provided with a pocket and a reflecting lens mounted in the pocketand substantially interposed between the bight portions of the saidU-shaped members.

OLIVER. D. EGGLESTON.

